Agenda, decisions and minutes

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 18 August 2020 (CA3) and to receive information arising from them.

The Minutes of thre meeting held on 16 July 2020 were approved and signed as a correct record.

Councillor John Howson had given written notice of the following question to Councillor Constance, Cabinet member for Environment:

‘With the reduced flow of traffic entering the City of Oxford from the west, would you consider diverting traffic from Frideswide’s Square along Park End Street and New Road to Worcester Street. Hythe Bridge Street, with its narrow pavements where social distancing is impossible, could then become a pedestrian route from Frideswide’s Square to the junction with Worcester Street with the only vehicle access to local properties. This change would make a secure cycling and walking route into the city centre. A temporary arrangement, as with the recent experiment in George Street, would test the benefit of this arrangement to both pedestrians and cyclists.’ 

Councillor Constance replied:

‘We recognise that footways are narrow and pedestrian flow is heavy along Hythe Bridge Street, but we do not believe that diverting traffic in this way would be a suitable solution at present. Traffic levels appear to be only slightly less than pre Covid-19 and this diversion would need the recent changes to the George Street/Worcester Street/Hythe Bridge Street junction to be removed. The significant benefits for pedestrians and cyclists that have been achieved as a result of this junction improvement would be lost and the additional general traffic using Worcester Street south would have a negative impact on buses and their passengers.’

Supplementary question: Councillor Howson asked whether in view of the narrow footways and high pedestrian flow along Hythe Bridge Street there were any solutions that the cabinet member could offer to assist with social distancing particularly between Upper Fisher Row and the junction with George Street. Councillor Constance replied that there were no current proposals but that officers would consider Councillor Howson’s question and if there were any solutions that presented themselves Councillor Howson would be kept informed.

Councillor John Sanders had given written notice of the following question to Councillor Constance, Cabinet Member for Environment:

‘Will the cabinet member explain how it has come to pass that after a decade and more of fudge, error and delay this Council still does not have a valid Minerals and Waste Local Plan, that is now to be postponed again by at least two years to 2023?’    

Councillor Constance replied:

‘The Council does have an adopted Minerals and Waste Local Plan: Part 1 Core Strategy. This was adopted by Full Council in 2017 and sets out the vision, objectives, spatial planning strategy and policies for meeting development requirements for the supply of minerals and the management of waste in Oxfordshire over the period to 2031.  The Core Strategy provides the Policy on which the determination of all minerals and waste development management decisions are made. The Core Strategy also provides a policy framework for identifying sites for new minerals and waste developments in Part 2 of the plan - the Site Allocations Plan.

“We are now working on preparing the Minerals and Waste Local Plan: Part 2 Site Allocations Plan (Sites Plan). The Sites  ...  view the full minutes text for item 75/20

This Cabinet meeting will be held virtually in order to conform with current guidelines regarding social distancing. Normally requests to speak at this public meeting are required by 9 am on the day preceding the published date of the meeting. However, during the current situation and to facilitate these new arrangements we are asking that requests to speak are submitted by no later than 9am four working days before the meeting i.e. 9 am on Wednesday 9 September. Requests to speak should be sent to sue.whitehead@oxfordshire.gov.uk together with a written statement of your presentation to ensure that if the technology fails then your views can still be taken into account. A written copy of your statement can be provided no later than 9 am 2 working days before the meeting.

Where a meeting is held virtually and the addressee is unable to participate virtually their written submission will be accepted.

Written submissions should be no longer than 1 A4 sheet.

The following requests to address the meeting had been agreed by the Chairman:

Cabinet Member: Environment

Forward Plan Ref: 2020/068

Contact: Patrick Lingwood, Active & Healthy Travel Officer Tel: 07741 607835

Report by Director for Planning & Place (CA).

The Bicester Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP) is a detailed 15-year plan which sets out how to improve cycling and walking in Bicester. The plan includes a target to significantly increase cycling in Bicester by 2035 and the evidence of how this is to be achieved. There are supplementary plans with walking and cycling schemes provisionally costed at £40 million. The LCWIP fits in with and directly supports the Bicester Transport Strategy and Local Plan proposals and the wider agenda for the town, including continued emphasis on Healthy Place Shaping. The LCWIP will be a subsidiary document of the new Local Transport and Connectivity Plan, currently being developed. As well as cycling and walking schemes, the LCWIP includes policies which will impact on Council transport policy and procedures and future scheme design and prioritisation.

Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to approve the Bicester Local Cycling & Walking Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP), including the Bicester cycle network plans.

Cabinet had before them a report seeking approval of The Bicester Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP), a detailed 15-year plan that sets out how to improve cycling and walking in Bicester.  There was

Councillor John Sanders, Shadow Cabinet Member for Environment expressed disappointment not to see 2031 predictions for Cat D. He noted that even with best case scenarios it was expected that there would be more car traffic 2031 than today. He queried the lack of a milestone project plan to enable councillors to monitor progress. He felt that the new developments had not been built as fully low traffic neighbourhoods and may need some modifications.

Councillor Sanders also queried whether adequate resources were in place.

Councillor Yvonne Constance, Cabinet Member for Environment thanked Councillor Sanders for the points raised noting that a timetable was not possible as it would be necessary to bid for Governments funding. She added that officers would look at the issue raised about the data on which the developments in Bicester are based and respond directly.

Councillor Constance introduced the report and moved the recommendations. Chair, Oxford Cycle Network had written urging us to recognise the value of this plan for cycling. Councillor Constance added that Robin Tucker.

Patrick Lingwood, Active Travel Hub Lead, detailed the contents of the report setting out the context to the proposals that was aimed at managing the future growth of Bicester.

Councillor Stratford, Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Public Health welcomed the concept of improved walking and cycling routes primarily for people’s health and wellbeing and supported the recommendations. However, he highlighted several areas where he felt that further work would be helpful. Paragraph 9 of the report referred to the need for robust transport solutions and he felt that for Bicester this required more than a cycling and walking plan. He queried the assumption in paragraph 10 that many, if not most of short trips within Bicester could be made on foot or by cycle. Councillor Stratford felt that there was little evidence for this, and he highlighted the needs of the elderly or disable who may need their cars in order to get around. He highlighted the funding gap and the difficulties of securing S106 monies; the problems in making an old town suitable for modern transport needs and the difficulty of predicting the needs of people who were expected as the population grew but who were not yet able to be consulted.

Councillor Corkin, Cabinet Member for Council Business & Partnerships welcomed the proposals thanking officers for a comprehensive piece of work. He welcomed the focus on his local area and saw the breadth and depth of ambition expressed as a marker for the future. He particularly welcomed the connectivity to the rural area around Bicester that looked to Bicester as their market town. This would be important not just for the residents but for the economy of Bicester. He added that as a wider sustainability point only three of the parishes  ...  view the full minutes text for item 77/20

Cabinet Members: Deputy Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care & Public Health

Forward Plan Ref: 2020/125

Contact: Sukdave Ghuman, Head of Legal Services & Deputy Monitoring Officer Tel: (01865) 323852

Report by Corporate Director of Public Health and Head of Legal Services & Deputy Monitoring Officer (CA7).

In July 2020 the government introduced new powers for local authorities to support local outbreak management.

The report recommends that Oxfordshire County Council assumes responsibilities under The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restriction) (England) (No.3) Regulations 2020 in order to ensure that any serious and imminent threat to public health in Oxfordshire is necessarily and proportionately addressed.

The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to:

(a)          Assume responsibilities granted under The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restriction) (England) (No.3) Regulations 2020 giving local authorities powers relating to the control and prevention of coronavirus and;

(b)          Delegate powers to the City and District Councils in accordance with the above regulations.

In July 2020 the government introduced new powers for local authorities to support local outbreak management.

Cabinet considered a report recommending that Oxfordshire County Council assumes responsibilities under The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restriction) (England) (No.3) Regulations 2020 in order to ensure that any serious and imminent threat to public health in Oxfordshire was necessarily and proportionately addressed.

Councillor Judith Heathcoat, Deputy Leader of the Council, in moving the recommendations highlighted that this was a joint responsibility between herself and Councillor Stratford as Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Public Health. Councillor Heathcoat introduced the contents of the report. A Health Protection Board had been set up to oversee the development and delivery of the Oxfordshire Covid 19 Local Outbreak Control Plan commenting that it was an exemplar of good local collaboration and would ensure a co-ordinated response that was so important to Oxfordshire communities.

Councillor Stratford stressed that the proposals were essential. He welcomed the overarching role for the County Council but working with local District Council and parishes with the local knowledge and approach an important factor in a successful approach to any local outbreak.

During discussion Cabinet welcomed the recommendations and the joint approach being taken. Councillor Corkin, Cabinet Member for Council Business & Partnerships commented that using local knowledge at all levels would be important in a bid to bring the most and appropriate effective but lightest of touches to avoid heavy local restrictions.

RESOLVED:             to:

(a)          assume responsibilities granted under The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restriction) (England) (No.3) Regulations 2020 giving local authorities powers relating to the control and prevention of coronavirus and;

(b)          delegate powers to the City and District Councils in accordance with the above regulations.

Cabinet Mem Cabinet Member: Education & Cultural Services

Forward Plan Ref: 2020/098

Contact: Graham Pirt, Interim Head of SEND Tel: 07554 103332

Report by Deputy Director of Education (CA8).

A report on SEND High Needs Funding recommending approval of a one-off change to the funding formula for top up payments for secondary schools for the academic year.